xxxxxOn Wednesday, August 30, 1950, the Valley descendants and kith and kin of the Clan McKay, met together for their fifth annual reunion in the Recreational Clubrooms of Front Royal.

xxxxxMembers attending were: Mr. and Mrs. Albert Brockman and son, Osborne, Arlington; Mr. and Mrs. Perry Mowbray, Pee Dee and Betty, Richmond; Mrs. Nannie McKay Boze, Charlottesville; J. M. Jett and daughter, Virginia, Ninevah; Mrs. Alice J. Cross, Washington, D C.; Mrs. Ruth McKay Millan, Alexandria; Mrs. Daisy Melton McKay, Front Royal; Mr. and Mrs. Leo McKay and Mary Ann, Washington, D. C.; Mr. and Mrs. A. L. McKay, Front Royal; Hon. John W. Rust, Fairfax; Mr. and MRs. John Rust and Jackie and Stephen, Fairfax; C. D. Melton, DeLiance, Ohio; Mr. and Mrs. Hunter McKay and Branson, Belmont, Mass.; Mrs. Henry R. McKay, Luray; Mr. and Mrs. William K. McKay and Penny, Luray; Mrs. Margaret McCutcheon Brown, Bedford; Mrs. Mary E. McKay, Arlington; Mr. and Mrs. William P. McKay and daughters, Leona, Dianna, Carol and Penny, Washington, D. C.; Mrs. Mary Gore, Arlington; Mr. and Mrs. William Hicks and Danna, Front Royal; Mrs. Mary McKay Allen and David, Silver Spring, Md.; Mrs. Daisy L. Shipp, Drexel Hill, Pa.; A. B. Rust, Haymarket; Mr. and Mrs. Antrim A. McKay, Severna Park, Md.; Mrs. Lucy McKay Ray, Severna Park, Md.; Mr. and Mrs. Dearing L. McKay, Washington, D. C.; Mr. and Mrs. Beverly McKay, Millwood; Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Gillis, Haymarket; Hubert McKay, Ninevah; Mrs. Pauline Golden and Nancy and Linda, Silver Spring, Md.; Tracy Aitcherson, Alexandria; Thomas Shipp, Drexel Hill, Pa.; Mrs. Wallace Shipp, Washington, D. C.

xxxxxAfter a basket picnic lunch the meeting was in order and prizes were awarded as follows:

xxxxxTo the Hunter McKays for having travelled the greatest distance.

xxxxxTo the Rust family, for having the largest representation.

xxxxxTo Mrs. Henry McKay for being the oldest lady in attendance.

xxxxxTo Charles Gillis, the oldest gentleman present.

xxxxxTo Penelope McKay, for being the youngest girl.

xxxxxTo Stephen McKay Rust, the youngest boy present.

xxxxxTo Mrs. Ruth Millan, winner of the door prize.

xxxxxIt was decided that the next meeting to be held the first Sunday in October, 1951. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year, and various committees appointed:

xxxxxPresident, Hon. John W. Rust.

xxxxxVice President, Dearing McKay.

xxxxxSec. and Treas., Mrs. Isabelle Brockman.

xxxxxAssist. Sec. and Treas., Mrs. Gertrude McKay.

xxxxxSgt. at Arms, Wm. P. McKay.

(Webmaster's note: We had a Seargent at Arms? What did he do? MLM)

xxxxxThe Clan was most fortunate in procuring two speakers for the occasion, the Hon. John W. Rust, of Fairfax, Va., and Hunter McKay, of Belmont, Mass.

xxxxxBeing the historian of the family, Hunter McKay gave an informal and highly enlightening talk on his experiences in connection with the compilation of the McKay family genealogy, two volumes of which are now bound and soon will be made available to interested persons. Mr. McKay gave a resume of the family, beginning with the Clan in Scotland in the year 1395, and tracing its growth and expansion on down to the present time. He noted that while times and customs change, the Scotch-Irishmen have changed but little, having retained the characteristics by which those races have become known, those characteristics which all jokes to the contrary, have so endeared the Scotchman to the world.

xxxxxThe Hon. John Rust, in his most interesting discussion of the family, stressed the human and more personal elements in the history of the McKay Clan--its war cries and badges, its castles, coats of arms and plaids; its feuds and ambitions; its hatreds and its loves. Delving into the past, Mr. Rust, who is a competent speaker and a student of family history, brought out facts and anecdotes of much interest to his listeners.

xxxxxHighly esteemed and powerful in the north of Ireland, the McKay Clan furnished many leaders. In 1689, James II appointed General Hugh McKay "Major-General of all the forces, whatever, within our ancient kingdom of Scotland," a position he held until his death in 1696 in the Battle of Steinkirk.

(Webmaster's note: I believe the writer meant to say 'Scotland' rather than 'Ireland'. Also, I've been informed that where it says 'James II' it should read as 'William 3rd'. MLM)

xxxxxRobert McKay was the first of his name to settle in the Valley of Virginia, coming from Pennsylvania where the family were Quakers. Samuel Kercheval's History of the Valley of Virginia states the year as 1732. The original Robert McKay house at Cedarville was built of walnut logs and stone, and is believed to be the oldest standing house west of the Blue Ridge mountains. From this pioneer Robert, are descended all of the Virginia McKays.

(Webmaster's note: The above two paragraphs represent examples of a theory I have as to how I believe Hugh Mackay ended up being listed as Robert Mackay Sr.'s father. Some historical sketches of our family are preceeded by a history of the Clan Mackay of Strathnaver. Hugh Mackay was a prominent figure in the history of the Clan and usually after the brief historical sketch, which ended with this Hugh, began a sketch of the history of our Robert Mackay family. I believe that some researchers assumed because one followed the other that a connection must have existed between the two men although none has been stated in this article or others presented on this website. Also, I would like to point out two errors in the above paragraph. #1. The house being mentioned is actually the house of Robert Mackay Jr. Robert Mackay Sr. settled further south at 'Hay Bottom' which was located west of present day Front Royal, Va. To my knowledge, Robert Sr.'s house is no longer standing. #2. Robert is not the ancestor of all Virginia McKays. There were a few other Mckay families that settled in Virginia other than our Robert Mackay family. Their connection, if any, to our Robert Mackay family is unknown at this time. MLM)

xxxxxThat Robert McKay was a man of means and influence, has been widely attested to by many records. His partnership with Joist Hite proved a profitable venture. The two men obtained an order of council for 100,000 acres of land north of North River and north of the forks of the Shenandoah, a grant which Lord Fairfax later, was to claim for himself under the name of the Culpeper Grant, or "Northern Neck." The rest became the history of Virginia. Hite and McKay filed suit against Lord Fairfax and were awarded the court judgment.

xxxxxRobert McKay's fortunes prospered. His sons and his sons' sons fared well, and the countryside became dotted with McKay homes. There was the old brick place, "Chamblin," at the Double Toll Gate, and the Joseph Miller stone house. "Erin," the Jesse McKay house at Ninevah, and the house of Joshua McKay, known as the "Antrim Farm." The LeHew house, the Painter house at Cedarville, the Melton house. The Robert McKay house and many others.

xxxxxOf special interest to Luray is the fact that Enos McKay, a descendant of Robert, settled in Page County at Spring Farm late in the 1700's and until he died in 1830 owned large tracts of land in and around Luray.

xxxxxIt is meet and fitting, that the descendants gather to honor the memory of the pioneer Robert McKay, who was a man of integrity, vision, and foresight, a real builder of the Valley section of Virginia. It is well that the McKay descendants continue to honor their ancestors, by contributing their best and utmost toward the upbuilding of their country and nation, in wartime and in peacetime, by upholding all those standards of conduct and those ideals which must have been in the heart and mind of Robert McKay as he stood high on some hillside, looking down upon his land and perhaps, saying to himself, as countless descendants must have echoed:

xxxxx"This is my own, my own loved
xxxxxxxxxxland,
xxxxxAcquired and tended by my hand.
xxxxxGrant I may pass on to my son
xxxxxThat priceless heritage, work
xxxxxxxxxxwell done!"

(Webmaster's note: (Regarding this last paragraph and the little quote about 'my own land' after it) Where do these writers come up with this stuff? *haha* It's memorable! MLM)

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